Considering what domain I've spent most of my working career in,guess I'll have to try and not take this thread to much at heart/personally......[;)]
First - the quote should read ""avoid all <i>insurance run</i> bodyshop collision centers""
-As these are the places will cut corners on repair time,materials and workmanship .... honestly they have no choice with the amount of volume they receive from the insurance company's and with the discounts and concessions they have to make in-order to keep the big-guy happy.
But not all shops run the same way....., and should not be placed in the same boat! It's important for the consumer to investigate very well before signing the contract with the shop they choose to deal with. Remember, there is no free lunch, never pick a shop on price alone....
When choosing a shop,you must first check the place out, look at what kind of cars are in and around the shop, get references, look at how well the shop is organized.....
- is it clean and orderly?
- is the equipment presentable and modern?
- how are the employees dressed?
My little shop was making good money with repeat clients and and word of mouth. I spent very little on advertising yet had easily over 60% customer pay repairs. Even though I was a Ford shop, you'd still often see other makes and models at my place, or even the odd specialty car. I usually took on a project here and there just to keep things intereseting [;)]
Btw here's a tip for you...removing trim and bits is a great way for the hobbyist to save a few bucks......, plus its saves the shop trouble too, as we don't have to worry about damaging parts that are made from unobtainium. Even some rough bodywork done by the owner can be tolerable, but to me and my workers the one place you don't save anything with is the "Preparation." This is something best left for the professional to complete. The more time spent on preparation, the better the overall result, and most painters really prefer to do themselfs.....it gives a better end product.
Ron.
